ASHEVILLE – Housing affordability, growth, short-term rentals, discrimination and equity – these are issues dominating the debate among the six candidates in this year's election to fill three seats on City Council.

But who are the candidates behind the issues? With the heightened rhetoric of campaigning, voters' understanding of the people at the center of the campaigns is often clouded.

Here is a look at who the six are, where they came from and what makes them tick.

The three winners will help guide Asheville through a time of great change — with a booming tourism industry but also rising housing costs and lagging wages that are pinching many residents. Voters will also choose between two candidates for mayor.